


A Garden on the Sun

by attfna



Series: Photosynthesis [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Buying a HOUSE, First Meetings, Gardens & Gardening, M/M, Neil didn't go to PSU, Panic Attacks, Private investigator Andrew, Translator Neil, Twinyard healing, Witness Protection, did this house come with a cat, reference to past trauma, seriously what the fuck andrew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25891003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attfna/pseuds/attfna
Summary: Neil and Andrew navigate through their 'significant nothing' and flourish together.
Relationships: Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Photosynthesis [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878751
Comments: 30
Kudos: 263





	A Garden on the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to An Ocean on the Rooftop because y'all asked and I am WEAK for domestic Andreil.
> 
> Rating: T (language, mentions of past canon trauma, panic attacks, scars, mentions of sexy times but nothing explicit)  
> ~*~
> 
> All credit to Nora, I own nothing.

One year later. 

Neil and Andrew had been ‘ _seeing’_ each other for a year. They weren’t dating, not really, but they spent almost  all of their free time in each other's company. They worked on the garden together. With Andrews help (and the efforts of his psychiatrist with god-like patience), Neil started to venture out into the world more. They visited the gym together three days a week and occasionally sat in an actual restaurant for a meal. Once, Andrew even dragged him to a clothing store to do something about his ‘depressing’ wardrobe – which Neil found ironic since almost everything Andrew owned was black. Sometimes Neil even went out on his own now – to the grocery store or the deli down the street. He even talked to the owners there, a married couple just a few years older than him named Matt and Dan. He’d also met one of Andrew’s friends (maybe his only friend...Neil was still unclear on that), Renee, who was his sparring partner and sometimes met up with them at the gym.

But mostly they would sit around with takeout or something Andrew had cooked while watching tv or movies Neil had never seen. Despite Neil's penchant for growing things, he wasn't  actually great at cooking them – usually opting to make salads or simple things with uncooked ingredients. But Andrew had a knack for reading a recipe once and memorizing every little nuance, so on the weekends he cooked for the  both of them . 

Four months in to their ‘ _ significant nothing’  _ as Andrew liked to consider it in his head, he’d been standing over his stove stirring a sauce he’d made with blueberries that was on it's way to to becoming jam. Neil was leaning against the counter, blue eyes watching him intently. Andrew held up the stick to let Neil taste the syrup and then tasted it himself. Neil continued to watch him and then leaned in. It was slow enough that Andrew could have stopped him if he didn’t want it. But he let Neil lean in, even turned his own head slightly. Neil’s scarred finger delicately gripped his jaw on one side while his lips kissed away a smear of blueberry syrup from the other side of his mouth. He pulled away almost in a daze, hand still on Andrews jaw and Andrew couldn’t do more than stare. A second later Neil’s eyes flared with surprise, like he’d done it in sort of a trance and now reality was sinking back in. He let go quickly and sputtered an apology, turning to leave the room. Andrew dropped the spoon. He caught Neil’s wrist and pulled him back. _"_ _Yes_ _or no?”_ He’d whispered the words with a confidence that surprised himself and even more surprising was Neil’s immediate _“Yes”_ in return. Andrew kissed him. It tasted like blueberries and honey and the promise of something bigger, something  _ more _ . It was nothing like the meaningless hookups or the tense moments in dark clubs with strangers he'd grown accustomed to over the years, which when he reflected back on it, had ceased almost immediately after meeting Neil.

After that, their lazy days were usually the same only with more tongue and teeth and wandering hands. They traded truths and when it was too much, Andrew would let Neil hold his cigarette or clamp a hand around the back of his neck. A few nights he’d shown up on Andrews doorstep fresh out of a nightmare or panic attack. Andrew would sit in silence with him on the couch with coffee or he’d drag Neil back to his bed and they would face each other, stares unwavering until they fell asleep. When Andrew would have his own bad days or  nights he would usually end up seeking out Renee and return home with bruised knuckles and tense shoulders. Neil wordlessly massaged Andrew’s hands and eventually Andrew was comfortable enough to let Neil sit behind him on the couch to work out the knots in his shoulders. 

A month ago, it had turned into something more. Not only because Andrew had finally let Neil meet his brother (even if he did introduce him as his neighbor), but he’d let Andrew push him into the mattress and take him apart. Let Andrew do things he never realized he’d wanted until recently. Getting Andrew to allow him to reciprocate was a slow process but they _were_ making progress. They were  _ trying. _ Since then Neil had been sleeping over at Andrews almost every night. Not really for the sex, but because he enjoyed being close to the other man. He'd overcome a lot of his own fears in the last year but the sense of security he felt in Andrew's presence was addictive.

When they met, the blond had been working as a contracted PI for a local agency. He held the position for the last two years since he’d graduated from school but two months ago decided to branch out on his own. He still did some contract work but now he also worked for himself, which sometimes led to weird hours. It was the middle of September and the weather was still  warm but Andrew dressed like it was already winter. The sweater he wore was lightweight but long-sleeved and matched his black slacks and boots. He opened the door to his apartment at eight am with a scowl. Neil was still there, having slept there that night even though Andrew was gone all night staking out some cheating bankers office building. When he entered, he had an envelope in one hand, his messenger bag and camera bag clamped over his shoulder with the other. He dropped all three on the couch next to Neil who had clearly just gotten out of the shower and was sitting cross-legged with a bowl of mixed fruit in his lap. Raspberries and grapes from his garden. 

“You look like shit,” said Neil. 

“Astute observation. Anymore unwanted opinions?” Andrew shot back. 

Neil looked confused at his tone, which wasn’t surprising. Neil had said those exact words to him over a year ago but it made sense he didn’t remember. He dropped down onto the couch between his stuff and his ....Neil , plucking a raspberry from the bowl and popping it into his mouth to chew slowly. 

“Long night, shit morning,” he clarified. 

Neil set the bowl aside and turned to face the blond, expression sobering. “Do tell.”

Andrew launched into a tale about his overnight stake-out – how he’d watched the white-collar banker enter his work building after hours with a brunette twenty years his junior on his arm. How he’d photographed them on the third floor through the open windows before the blinds had been shuttered. And how he’d photographed them again the next morning, the man kissing the woman on the cheek as she left in the same clothes. How he wasn’t looking forward to telling the wife that yes, her husband of 16 years was probably cheating on her. He hoped at least she wouldn’t bring her kids with her when they met at the coffee shop again. When she hired  him she had shown up with a wad of cash and two  nine-year-old girls, _twins_ (of course). 

At some point during his rant, Andrew began trying to kick his shoes off but the lacing was just a little too tight and he only manage to push them down around an inch, the rest of his body still flopped back on the couch. Neil leaned forward without a word, still soaking up every syllable as he pulled Andrew’s shoes off. 

“And then....” Andrew continued, flexing his sock covered feet once they were free, “I went to drop off my lease renewal this morning and my application has been ‘denied’.”

“ ....But you already live here,” Neil reasoned. 

“And yet,” he made a weak motion of lifting his arms before dropping them back to the couch with a soft ‘pfft’.

Chewing his bottom lip, Neil contemplated the words. Andrew turned his head to the side, rolling it along the back of the couch a second before the man spoke. 

“Well....you could move in with me?” suggested Neil, completely serious. “I already sleep here more than I do my own place.”

Andrew pinched down the implication of moving in with someone else, someone who wasn’t family, to point out the obvious. 

“I think we might run into a similar problem when you try to renew your lease in a few months. Apparently, I am ‘not good for business’” he said, making air quotes again. 

Neil managed to keep from  smirking but it was a near thing. “Oh...you mean how you ran off the guy in 509 and the woman in 201 when you found out there were pedophiles and weren’t supposed to be in a building with minors? Or how you got in a fight with those frat-guys in front of the building and they came back the next day and threw eggs into the lobby? Or how you...”

Andrew reached up and flattened his palm over Neil’s mouth. The man’s eyes squinted as he smiled behind Andrew’s hand. 

“For someone who spent the first six months here completely silent you never do seem to know when to shut up.”

The skin around blue eyes crinkled more and Neil stuck his tongue out to prod at the crease between Andrew’s fingers. The blond made a face and pulled his hand away, wiping it across Neil’s cotton covered chest. 

Neil’s smile slowly dropped to something more reasonable and he patted Andrew on the thigh twice, the second time using it as an anchor to push himself off the couch. “You’ll figure it out.”

He stretched his arms above his head, back cracking, and Andrew’s eyes caught on the sliver of scarred, tan skin over his hipbone before the fabric covered it again. Then he reached down and swiped the half empty bowl and headed for the kitchen. 

“Make pancakes,” Andrew said, grunting a little as King jumped into his lap while Sir circled his feet. They probably wanted their own breakfast. 

* * *

Three days passed before Andrew brought up his living situation again. He had another three weeks before he would need to clear out but didn’t want to leave it until the last minute. Especially since he’d been contacted about helping in a trafficking case the day prior and it was likely going to eat up a lot of his time. He needed to make a decision soon. 

Andrew plucked off his sunglasses and tossed them in the cup holder as he pulled up to the curb on the quiet, shaded street. There were a few cars  around but it was the middle of the day and most of the occupants of the nearby houses were likely at work. Swinging his keys around a deft finger, Andrew climbed out of the Maserati and approached a brick row house. The tall home was at the end of the  street so it only shared a wall with one other unit and though they were similar in features, each house had something that made it unique. For the house on the end it was the decorative metal railing that lined the steep steps and curved down towards the basement apartment and the sage green shudders. A ‘for sale’ sign was attached to the glass door. Andrew surveyed the building for a few moments before heading downstairs to the small basement apartment. He’d only been here a few times and didn’t know how his brother lived in such close quarters with his cheerful cheerleader fiancé. He would have guessed it was necessity if he didn’t know how disgustingly obsessed with each other they were. Both of them were in their second year of med school and didn’t have a lot of money to spare for rent. They had been lucky to find such a place. It was cramped - a living room, small kitchen and bedroom with a small bath attached. But the rent was dirt cheap and apparently their land-lady who lived in the house above never bothered them. Well, the land-lady who  _ had  _ lived upstairs. 

He knocked on the door and the metal sheeting that covered most of the glass made a loud clanging sound. A moment later the wooden door jerked open, revealing a scowling Aaron, sleep rumpled and still in pajamas. 

“Andrew?”

“No. ..it is the other twin,” he breathed, stepping in side after Aaron pushed open the second door. 

“What are you doing here?” yawned the other blond, walking towards the back of the house. “I haven’t even woken up yet.”

It was after  ten but Andrew knew Aaron attended late night study sessions on Wednesdays since his Thursday classes didn’t start until noon. He also knew the cheerleader had an earlier class that day, which was why he had chosen it for his visit. 

Aaron stood at the counter and frowned, pouring two cups of coffee and handing one to Andrew. Andrew quirked a brow and glanced down at the steaming cup. Aaron rolled his eyes, reading his twins mind. He dug a jar of sugar from the cabinet and slammed a half-finished carton of milk on the counter. 

“So....any change about the situation upstairs?” Andrew asked.

During their last phone conversation three weeks ago, Aaron had complained that the old woman had died. She hadn’t answered the door when Aaron went to drop off his rent money so he called for a wellness check.  Apparently she had a heart attack three days earlier. Now the property was in limbo because she didn’t have a will and had no living family. Aaron worried that whoever bought it would force them to move and it had already been hard enough finding affordable housing in the middle of Boston. 

“If you mean Mrs.  Barstein , no. She’s still dead.”

Andrew hummed, ignoring his  brothers irritability. For several minutes they sank into familiar silence, sipping coffee and avoiding each other's gaze. Andrew put his mug down and drummed on the counter. 

“What?” asked Aaron, knowing his twin well enough that he knew when he was contemplating something. 

“I am thinking about buying it,” said Andrew plainly. 

Aaron nearly choked on his coffee. “You’re joking?”

Hazel eyes cut to the side and he gave Aaron a flat look. “Yes, because that is something I do so often.”

“Where’d you get the money?” Aaron asked, somewhat bitter sounding. “Find another dead mom to leech life insurance from?”

Andrews expression remained unchanged. Aaron had forgiven him years ago, but he still brought his  mothers ‘accident’ on occasion. He understood why Andrew had done such a thing but that didn’t make the memory any less painful. 

Andrew shrugged. “Do you still have a key?”

Used to his  brother's reticence, Aaron turned and dug a single key from the drawer behind him, slapping it in Andrew’s palm. “We’re still feeding the cat.”

His eyes flicked upwards before landing on Aaron once more. “.....The dead woman’s cat is still up there?”

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, Aaron started pulling clothes from the nearby dryer at the back of the house. Andrew followed him to the bedroom where he upended the basket and began folding. 

“Kate has been trying to get one of her friends to adopt it but most of them live in places that don’t allow pets,” he explained. 

“Why not bring it down here until you find someone to take it?” asked Andrew. 

“Because the thing tries to claw my arms off every time we try to carry it out the door,” said Aaron, turning over his arms to reveal several scabbed over scratch marks along the length of his forearms. 

“You know they make carriers for that sort of thing,” drawled Andrew. 

Aaron glared at him. “You think I want that little demon in the room with me while I’m trying to sleep? No thanks.”

Leaving the dimly lit basement, Andrew climbed the steps to the house above. There was a small plastic holder fixed to the porch railing that held flyers about the details of the home. He took one and pocketed it for later. 

The house smelled musty. Despite it having recently gone through a professional cleaning, it still smelled like grandma, though that was nothing a few open windows and a fuck-ton of  febreeze couldn’t fix. It was bright inside, light streaming in through the sheer curtains and bouncing off the white, textured walls. The floorboards creaked under his boots in a few places but were newly polished and in good condition. A small bedroom, no larger than a home office sat immediately to his right, the doorway just in front of the staircase. The living room was  small but he could see the cable hookups over the gas fireplace. 

He went to explore the second floor first, each stair making a unique sound as he climbed. There were two bedrooms with a decent sized bathroom between them. Everything had been cleared from the house and it was completely empty. 

Back downstairs he found a powder room and closet under the staircase. The kitchen wasn’t large but it was sizable enough to have a small dining room sitting against the window at the very back of the house. It was also updated with newer appliances, which was surprising given the age of the previous owner. He suspected whoever the home had defaulted to made small renovations to get it to sell quicker. 

Exiting the kitchen, he made a sharp left. Behind the stairs were a washer and dryer, propped against a wall with a little bench next to them. And under the bench, was the elusive ‘demon’ feline. The creature was curled in a ball to make itself as small as possible, which was a feat since it was already tiny. He would think it was still a kitten if he didn’t know better.  Its black fur stood on end and it growled menacingly as Andrew crouched down. 

“Stop that,” he said quietly, reaching out a curled finger towards the animal. 

It, predictably, took a swipe at him and he didn’t recoil fast enough. Andrew hissed in pain as the animal hissed back and he sucked his bleeding finger into his mouth. He gave the little hiding place one last look and noted the metal dishes at the other end. The water bowl was almost  empty so he refilled it before leaving the cat to continue growling. He opened the back door. 

Most of the immediate surface area was taken up by a stone patio – flat pavers that curved outwards towards the green part of the yard. There was a small, decrepit shed and the back and next to it, what may have been a garden but was now just over-grown with weeds and wilting flowers. There was a small patch of grass between the two and it was all enclosed by a privacy fence. 

On the drive back to his apartment Andrew turned over the situation in his head. He’d decided to check out the house on a whim but knew he wanted it. What initially turned into the basic need to have a roof over his head, to being able to keep Aaron from ending up in a similar situation, seemed to pale in comparison to the possibilities. A house was something permanent. More permanent than he’d ever had before. The house in Columbia had been Nicky’s after all, and they sold it after graduation. Andrew had followed Aaron to Boston because it didn’t matter to him where he ended up and he knew Renee was interested in going to law school nearby so it made sense at the time, but he never planned to stay. He didn’t know what his friend or his twin planned to do after they finished their second round of school - likely they would all be scattered. But buying a house meant roots. Something tying him to the area. It scared him less than he thought – the idea of doing something permanent. 

Regardless of what he thought, there was no way he could afford it on his own. He’d blown his portion of his biological  mothers life insurance on his cars and Aaron had squandered his away on things like  _basic necessities_ and _medical school_ so he wouldn’t have to be in debt when he graduated. He could ask Nicky to co-sign with him, but that would likely cause too many problems. One, it would probably make the man fly back to the states and insert himself in Andrews life for an indeterminate amount of time, and two, he wasn’t even sure that the bank would accept Nicky since he lived overseas. 

_ “You’ll figure it out.” _

The words replayed in his head as he rode the elevator up to his floor and he heaved a sigh. “I always do...”

* * *

“He’s up to something. I can feel it,” said Neil, stabbing his spoon into his yogurt parfait. 

The deli was mostly known for its sandwiches but in the mornings they sold bagels and a few other easy-to-eat breakfast items and Neil had been coming in frequently enough that Dan always put a little extra fruit on top of his regular order. 

“Like...a bad something, or a good something?” asked Matt, sliding into the booth across from him. 

Neil took another bite and swallowed before answering. “Dunno yet. But he’s been out a lot and whenever I ask how his day  is he just makes a sort of grunting sound and messes around on his laptop until we go to bed.”

Matt toyed with the rag over his shoulder, scrunching up his face in thought. “Maybe he’s just busy? Didn’t you say he was taking on a pretty big case?”

Neil shrugged. “Well, yea. But that’s supposed to be a long-term operation and he said he's not starting until November since he’s working with a local task force or something.”

The taller man hummed. “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. You could always ask him directly?”

“I came here for friendly backup, Matt. If I wanted  _logic_ I would have asked for it,” Neil chided. 

Matt grinned down at him and brought a hand to his heart. “Neil Josten...did you just admit we’re _friends_? Dan! Dan did you hear that! Neil says were friends!”

“That’s great, babe!” called his wife, torso  hallway obscured by the display glass across the room. 

His cheeks heated but he managed a smile, reaching out to push at Matt’s shoulder from across the table. 

It was true. They were his friends. At least he considered them to be. They talked regularly when Neil stopped in to get food and even exchanged numbers, texting occasionally. He and Andrew even met them one Sunday afternoon at a nearby bar for dinner. 

He still checked the exits and watched the hands of patrons that came and went. He still sat with his back to the wall and his front facing the door. And he still tended to avoid unfamiliar places, but Neil had made a lot of progress. It was easier, he thought, to live in the world when you felt like the people around you had your back. Like if something were to happen you wouldn’t be completely alone. 

Neil bid his friends goodbye and headed back to his apartment. He had a full day of translations to get through and wanted to study the new Mandarin program he’d purchased last month (he got a bonus for every new language he became certified in). 

Back at his place, Andrew was surprisingly home. He was bleary eyed and had bags under his eyes that Neil pointedly ignored. He waved Neil off when Neil asked if he wanted help packing and Neil went to his desk to work, trying to ignore the intermittent thumping sounds from the other side of the wall as Andrew shuffled his belongings around. 

Despite the blonds tight-lipped routine, they had at least come to an agreement that Andrew would crash at Neil’s place until he could find somewhere else to live. “ _ A month, tops, _ ” Andrew had said. Neil wanted to tell him he could stay  as long as he liked but it had already been a pain just to get him to agree to it at all. 

At six, Neil wandered back over and began moving through Andrew’s kitchen like it was his own. The bag of spinach was from the  store but he still had a few bell peppers and tomatoes from the garden. Baked spaghetti seemed like a good idea. He was still wholly incapable of making anything complicated, but simple meals came easier now. He didn’t burn things as much or leave the kitchen a disaster. 

The shower cut on while Neil tossed various item into the food processor for a sauce. Maybe he _should_ ask Andrew what was going on. He hadn’t been short with Neil or seemed annoyed by his  presence , but there was  definitely something bothering him. 

Neil got the bread and the pasta in the oven and turned towards the sink to start the dishes when something caught his eye. There was a half-folded brochure on the edge of the counter that bore a photo of a familiar house. 

Three months prior Andrew dragged Neil along with him to his twin’s house. Their dryer had broken and when Andrew mentioned his brother's endless complaints about the  land-lady taking too long to send someone to fix it, Neil claimed he could do it for free. At first Andrew hadn’t believed him but Neil stood his ground. Andrew didn’t seem fond of the idea of Neil meeting his twin, but Neil also suspected he was curious about Neil’s appliance repair  claims so he went along with it. Neil had been introduced as the ‘neighbor,’ which annoyed him less than he thought it would, and proceeded to replace the duct and clamps while identical hazel eyes scrutinized his every move. Aaron’s fiancé, Katelyn, had been less imposing. She chattered about everything under the sun and stood nearby to hand Neil tools when he asked for them. She was a little chipper for his  tastes but he liked her okay. Neil didn’t have  an eidetic memory like Andrew, but he still recognized the house in the photo. He didn’t know it was for sale. What would that mean for Aaron and Katelyn, he wondered?

After the dishes were tucked away in the dishwasher, Neil leaned against the counter to wait. Andrew wandered out a few minutes before the timer was due to go off and pulled a beer from the fridge, cracking it open. He only took two sips before setting it down and walking into Neil. 

For someone who valued his personal space, Andrew seemed to live in Neil’s. When they were together, Andrew was nearly always touching him in some way. A hand on the small of his back, toes buried under his thighs on the couch, knuckles brushing his chest when they slept face to face. Neil didn’t comment when Andrew’s hands caged him in, curling around the edge of the the linoleum behind them. He didn’t comment when Andrew’s chest and hips pressed against his own or when blond hair tickled his cheeks. He could feel the faint brush of stubble against his throat and smell the subtle scent of Andrew’s shampoo and cologne. Neil kept still, only reaching up with hand to bury his fingers in damp hair to keep Andrew close. 

They remained unmoving until the timer on the oven sounded and then separated, making their plates in silence. 

An old movie in Russian played in the background with the subtitles scrolling at the bottom. A few months  ago Andrew had swiped Neil’s Russian language book and started teaching himself phrases. He could now answer simple questions in Russian and sometimes Neil quizzed him. Other times he whispered filthy things in Andrew’s ear when they were in bed and that always managed to reinvigorate the  blond's interest in the language.

Neil waited until they were climbing into bed for the night to bring up the flyer. 

“So.....the lady above Aaron and Katelyn is selling her house?” he asked. 

Andrew paused with a hand clenched around the comforter before he resumed pulling it back. 

“I saw the brochure,” Neil said, crawling under the gray bedding. 

Andrew turned onto his side and reached back to turn off the table lamp, casting them into darkness. “She is not selling it, the state is. She died a month ago.”

“Oh...damn,” said Neil, quietly. “What’s going to happen with them then? Are they going to be able to keep living there?”

With a small sigh, Andrew scooted closer. He brushed his knuckles over Neil’s t-shirt. “I don’t know.”

Before Neil could reply Andrew hooked fingers in his collar and pulled him close. 

* * *

The sound of a knock on his bathroom door probably took two years off Neil’s life. He’d left Andrew’s that morning to run on his treadmill and was trying to rid himself of sweat when the sound startled him. 

“It’s me. Can I come in?” asked Andrew, his voice muffled through the door. 

Water dripped on the tiles as Neil shot a wet arm out from behind the curtain to reach for the door, unlocking it. Andrew came in and closed it behind him again, his hair flattening a little in the steam. Neil thought he might climb in the shower behind him but Andrew dropped the lid on the toilet seat to sit down instead. 

“I’m thinking of buying it,” he said quickly. “The house above Aaron’s.”

Fingers paused on Neil's head as he ceased scrubbing shampoo through his auburn locks. “You want to buy it?”

A short silence followed and then Andrew sighed. “I’ve been trying. No one will give me a loan for that amount even though I can afford the monthly payments. Probably.”

Neil grabbed his washcloth and started lathering himself up. “Can I help?”

Another pause. “What...like....co-sign a loan or something?”

He shrugged even though Andrew probably couldn’t see it through the blue curtain. “Yea. Or I could just give you the money.”

An amused sniff came from the other side of the curtain and Neil could hear the smirk in Andrew’s voice. “Because you just have half a million dollars lying around?”

“I mean...not  _ on _ me...but I could get it.”

The curtain yanked  back and Neil hissed a little at the intrusion of cold air on his exposed skin, but Andrew didn’t take pity on him. Instead he stared, eyes slightly narrowed while he inspected Neil’s face. He was looking for a lie. When he found none, he shoved the curtain closed and opened the door. 

“I have to go to work.”

“An. ..Andrew !” Neil called, but the door  closed and he was gone. “ _ Damnit _ .”

* * *

Of course, the thought had crossed his mind – having Neil move in with him. Having Neil co-sign for a loan or agree to rent a room. He didn’t know how much Neil made but he knew it was probably a decent salary given the reputation of the law firm he worked for. Andrew wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. A house was one thing but imagining a person that belonged there with him was another. Still, he imagined it. Sharing a bed with Neil every night, bigger than the double they crammed into in his apartment or the single in Neil’s. Two pairs of shoes by the doors, moving seamlessly around each other in the kitchen while they cooked. He could imagine Neil in the back yard, turning the mess of shrubbery into a proper garden. Neil told him frequently how much he’d changed over the last year and swore that a lot of it had been Andrew’s influence. But Andrew never realized how much Neil had changed him in return. He  _ wanted _ now. And it didn’t hurt like it used to because the wants felt more attainable. And he _wanted_ Neil, a little more every day. 

When they started their  _ ‘this _ ,’ Andrew had called it  _ ‘nothing _ ,’ at first. But then months passed and he couldn’t deny that it was definitely ‘ _ something, _ ’ even if he refused to put a label on it. It was comfortable. Safe. It felt like locked doors and a warm bed. It felt like  _ home _ . _Neil_ felt like home. 

After being in his head all morning it was a relief to throw himself into work. He followed leads to find someone's stolen ‘ _championship Pomeranian._ ’ Yes, it was as stupid as it sounded but it was easy money. By the end of the day he had a good idea of where to look next. 

Before he could lose his nerve, Andrew used the key Neil had given him and went straight to Neil’s after work. The taller man was already in the kitchen, making some sort of egg-bake. 

“Oh...hey,” said Neil, smiling brightly as though Andrew hadn’t literally fled the bathroom hours before. “How was your day?”

Andrew dropped his keys on the counter and swept across the floor. Neil turned slightly at his approach and Andrew’s hands fitted around Neil's slim waist, holding him in place. Andrew kissed him, pressing their lips together roughly and rolling his tongue between pliant lips when they opened. Neil made a noise of surprise but draped his forearms over Andrew’s shoulders, keeping his hand dangling so he wouldn’t get food on Andrew’s shirt or hair. 

The kiss lasted for under a minute before Andrew withdrew, looking up at Neil’s flushed cheeks and fluttering lashes. Blue eyes cracked open to watch him. 

“I want you to move in with me,” said Andrew. 

Neil gave a small intake of breath and breathed “Oh...okay.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

Andrew went silent for a moment but didn’t pull away so Neil tipped his forehead down to rest against Andrew’s temple. 

“I think they will give me a loan if you agree to co-sign,” Andrew said, eyes closing to keep from staring at Neil’s moistened lips, only inches from his own. 

Neil nodded against his head. “Okay. But if we just buy it outright we won’t have the interest. You don't even have to put my name on it if you don't want.”

Finally, Andrew stepped back, though he kept his hands where they were, squeezing Neil’s sides. Neil’s wrists stayed resting on his shoulders. 

“How do you have that kind of money?” he asked, frowning. “I am not robbing a bank.”

Neil chuckled, but something sincere crossed his features a second later. “I’m the son of a mobster remember?”

“That does not reassure me that you don’t plan to rob a bank.”

He smiled again. “No crime  needed, I promise. Well, no _further_ crime. I still have money in a few  off-shore accounts. I can get it, but I’ll need to make a trip to my lock-box in New Jersey to get the paperwork.”

Andrew stepped back completely when the pre-heat light went off on the oven so Neil could finish prepping their dinner. “The feds let you keep your parents blood money?”

“You think I told them I still had almost a million dollars tucked away?” Neil scoffed. “I hid it before I stopped in Millport. I managed to bring the paperwork with me when they moved me to New York but didn’t keep it on hand in case they found a reason to search me. It’s at a bank in Jersey next to the office for the online university I got my degree from.”

Andrew nodded, recounting the story in his mind. Once Neil had given him his real name, he dug up everything he could find. Neil had filled in the gaps over the last few months until there were no secrets lefts between them. 

He found it suspicious when Neil moved in that he couldn’t find anything on him but pegged him as a runaway or emancipated teen who had escaped an awful childhood. He was right, even though the rabbit hole went so much deeper. In return he told Neil about his own past. He wasn’t shocked to learn Neil already knew most of it. Neither of them  were very trusting by nature and had a penchant for digging up dirt. 

“That money could do a lot of things....” Andrew commented, still watching Neil. 

The man turned and smiled again, eyes crinkling a little in a way they only did in Andrew’s presence. “It could. But it could also buy a home. I’ve never really had one before.”

That feeling bubbled in Andrew’s gut again. One that had come more often the last few months. He wasn’t sure what it was but it took control of his body, leaving him helpless as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Neil’s jaw. 

“I’m going to feed the cats, I’ll be back.”

“Don’t be long,” Neil called at his back, “Dinner will be ready in ten!”

* * *

The trip to Newark was a disaster. It was less than a  four hour drive but Neil had  spent the entire time feeling like he wanted to vomit on the floorboards of the Maserati. After the third time Andrew asked him if he wanted to go  back he’d snapped at him. “ _ No, Andrew, Jesus. Stop asking. I said we’re going so we’re going _ .” It had been easy to offer the money but the fact that he would have to retrieve it hadn’t really crossed his mind. 

He didn’t regret it though. Not even after he  _actually_ threw up, having a panic attack in the alley next to the bank with Andrew’s hand clamped around his neck and his face between his knees as he tried to remember how to breathe. Ultimately, they had met with the bank manager and the funds were being wired directly to their account's and would be available by the time they got back to Boston. Neil called Dr. Bevin on the way back to try and calm himself down. Andrew usually did a good job helping pull him back to reality but that day he needed extra help. Neil told the blond he didn’t mind him listening  in but Andrew had popped earbuds in and turned up the volume of his phone’s playlist to give him privacy anyways. When they finally got back home late that evening, Neil slept a full twelve hours. 

Two weeks later they were moving into the row house. Their landlord at the apartment had granted Andrew an additional week to move so they were able to stay until the house had been inspected and given  the all clear. Andrew had taken Neil by to visit it once before the purchase had been completed and he’d barely been able to contain his overwhelming eagerness.  _ “Andrew...this bathtub is huge!” “This fridge is way bigger than the ones that came with the apartment...” “I can...Andrew it has space for a garden.” _

“Uh....Andrew ..... ” said Neil, carrying a box of kitchen wares towards the back of the house. He paused and dropped the box on the counter, emerging from the room to look down the hallway again. 

“Yea?” called the blond. 

Andrew came in with a second box and Neil momentarily lost his train of thought watching Andrew’s biceps twitch around the cardboard as he set something in the living room. It was cool out now, typical October weather, but the moving process was...sweaty...so he was only in a tank top and his armbands. Andrew joined him in the hall a few seconds later. 

Neil pointed towards the backdoor where a tiny, black cat was sitting in front of the open wooden door,  it’s silhouette lit by the glow of the sun through the glass behind it. The felines tail whipped back and  forth and it watched them with narrowed, green eyes. 

“You didn’t say the house came with a cat,” mused Neil. 

Andrew stared at the little creature. Right. The cat. 

The thing had hidden itself on their last visit and Neil didn’t notice the food bowls, too enamored by the backyard space. Last he  heard, the potential friend Katelyn had been talking to wasn’t going to be able to take the cat. Somehow it had slipped his mind and now...well, I guess they were getting another cat since he knew damn well he wouldn't be able to dump it at a shelter. 

“Don’t worry, we did not pay extra for it,” said Andrew, turning on his heel to retrieve more boxes. 

Neil straightened, his smile dropping, unable to tell if Andrew was joking. 

“Wait...you’re serious? Andrew what the fuck?” he laughed as he followed the blond back down the steps. 

The moving process took all day. They’d rented a small trunk and decided to do it themselves. Aaron was supposed to help but had a mysterious ‘test’ he had to take  all of the sudden and backed out the day before. Around noon, Katelyn showed up and helped them haul some of the boxes from the living room to the bedrooms upstairs. Neil watched their interactions closely, having recalled some of Andrew’s stories about her – how he’d hated her at first since his brother had broken a promise between them to date her. How he’d threatened her with violence and she still hadn’t budged. How eventually he’d grown to respect her spine and the way she truly cared for his brother. They didn’t joke or even talk to each other  much but they were perfectly amicable to each other and Andrew even patted her shoulder while handing her a water bottle after a particularly fierce struggle to get Andrew’s mattress up the stairs. 

They decided to turn the second bedroom into a guest room, or a space for them to sleep when they needed space some nights. The other bedroom had a new queen size foam mattress that was currently inflating to  its full size on the floor. They still had to buy a bed frame but that could wait a day or two.

Neil knew Andrew still hadn’t told his brother or future sister-in-law about the extent of their relationship but didn’t think it would stay a secret for much longer. Andrew had openly directed Katelyn to take both of their clothes into the main bedroom and she had done it without question or comment, though would almost definitely tell Aaron about it later. Which she did, and whatever conversation Andrew had with his twin the next day had left him tense but somehow lighter at the same time.

It took days to arrange everything, and days for the cats to get used to each other. Andrew had broken up three fights between them and had several scratches to show for it, but on the fourth day Neil caught all three of them sitting at the bay window in the living room – King and Sir curled into each other while the other cat watched them cautiously from the opposite end of the perch. According to Aaron, the things name was ‘Shadow.’ Neil immediately deemed that dull and unfitting to go with the names of Andrews  cats so he was re-dubbed Count  Chocula ,  _ “What? Andrew don’t look at me like that, it’s like...your favorite cereal.” _

Count quickly became Neil’s cat. Not only because Andrew teased him about the dumb name, but because for some reason, the animal took a liking to Neil. No one had been able to pick him up yet but Neil, at least, could swipe his hand along the felines shiny black fur or scratch  it’s ears and it wove between his legs, meowing quietly when it wanted food or attention. 

Overtime they filled the house. It wasn’t a huge  space but it was bigger than either of their apartments and  both of them were minimalists. They purchased furniture and necessities, turned the downstairs bedroom into a home office with two desks pushed together so they could sit across from each other in front of the large window and get their work done. In the corner was the exercise equipment they shared, though it was rarely used anymore since they went to the gym  more often than not . Neil had even begun running through the neighborhood (at first accompanied by a scowling Andrew who  _ hated _ running, and later by himself to spare his...partner the cardio).  One night Andrew even came home with several paintings and hung them in the living room. 

Over the winter, Neil cleared out the current mess of a garden. It had been bittersweet, leaving his rooftop garden back at the apartment. They could have transplanted much of the plants but  ultimately he decided to leave it, hoping someone else would find solace  in tending to it. He left the door to the enclosure cracked with the lock hanging open from the latch and set a painted wooden sign at the base.  _ ‘My caretaker has moved, please take good care of me.’ _

His efforts paused around January when the sky dumped several feet of snow on the ground but by M arch he had everything cleared - the new planters  built and the shed cleaned and ready. By June he had a flourishing garden. Sunflowers lined the fence on both sides and Neil opted to create a stone path from the patio to the garden and around to the shed, tilling up all the grass around it to plant flowers instead. Andrew found it strange at first but after explaining they wouldn’t have to cut any grass this  way he’d encouraged Neil’s excessive gardening. 

The planters he filled with fruits and vegetables. Cucumbers and tomatoes, zucchini and peppers. Blueberries and cantaloupe, strawberries and radishes. He  spent at least an hour a day prodding and pruning his plants and felt a sense of pride every time Andrew cooked with them or Katelyn or Matt’s face lit up when he delivered extra produce. Sometimes Andrew joined him, but  more often than not he sat on the patio and watched him, usually with a cat perched on his shoulder. They had installed some sort of anti-climbing device on top of the fence so the cats could roam the backyard safely. At  first they were hesitant but now they, sometimes annoyingly so, begged to be let out. 

It was a muggy Saturday morning in July when Neil looked back from the stool he was sitting on between his raised garden beds. Andrew was sitting in the patio chair with King on his lap, a glass of lemonade in hand - made fresh from the lemons on Neil's tree near the back porch. Sir and Count were stalking butterflies through the snapdragons and  gerbers . Neil wiped sweat from his brow, probably getting dirt on his forehead in the process. His arms were bare, scars on display for the world to see, like the ones on his face he’d never been able to hide, but he didn’t feel exposed here. He felt seen. He felt wanted. Andrews eyes locked on his own and they held  each others gaze under the summer sun. He wasn’t sure how it happened, why he’d been allowed to have this life after everything that happened in the past. But Neil had finally bloomed, and Andrew was the sun. 

**Author's Note:**

> NO MORE STOP ASKING I AM SO BEHIND ON WIPS. lol
> 
> And yes, Andrew found the pomeranian and returned it to the owner, I'm sure you were all on the edge of your seat wondering.


End file.
